22/05/2022
Do you know? Post-harvest you can get in three forms:
1. : This saffron consists of the stigmas just separated from the flowers and dried up without any further processing. In this type of saffron, the only difference is that the yellow colour tail of the stigmas is not cut, i.e., its length remains the same as taken out from the flower. The stigmas in Lachha saffron consist of yellow color tail and red colour front/top end of the stigmas.
2. : This type of saffron is the stigmas of the saffron detached from the flower, dried in the sun and then further processed traditionally. The further processing of Lachha saffron by traditional method, unique to the people of Kashmir converts Lachha saffron into Mongra saffron. The traditional method, commonly known as Loût Czhttun meaning “Tail Cutting” is the unique process, by which the Kashmir farmers cut the yellow colored tail of Lachha saffron and separate the red color head/top portion of the stigma from the yellow-color tail. This process seems simple as the stigmas are rubbed between the thumbs whereby typically yellow portion is separated from the red portion but it is not as simple as it seems, it can be done only by the farmers of Kashmir. The separated only red color stigmas constitute the Mongra saffron. Since the process of tail cutting is an additional step and is painstaking process, the Mongra saffron becomes more costly. Moreover, the weight of the saffron gets decreased when the yellow portion is cut-out from the rest of the top portion of the stigma, leaving only red-colored stigmas. The Mongra saffron is considered of the highest quality since it consists only of the red-colored stigmas.
3. : This type of saffron is same as Lachha Saffron, the only difference between the two is that in Lachha saffron dried stigmas are packed loose in the air tight containers, whereas in Guchhi saffron, the stigmas are joined together and tied with cloth thread making a bundle of the stigmas. In local dialect Guchha/Guchhi means ‘small bundle’. The other difference is that the Guchhi is cultivated in Poochal, Kishtwar and nearby areas.
Source: Geographical Indications Journal (127), Government of India.
https://almakhtoom.com/
